Rigid piston valve incorporating a solenoid

Abstract

A rigid piston assembly for use in a conventional flush valve includes a rigid piston and a solenoid configured to fixedly engage within the valve body. A flush valve for a plumbing fixture as well as a method of retrofitting a piston valve into a diaphragm flush valve body includes a rigid piston and solenoid configuration.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A rigid piston assembly for use in a flush valve, the flush valve having a valve body with a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, an outer cover, and a handle member, the rigid piston assembly comprising:
 a rigid piston having a central opening and a by-pass orifice, wherein the rigid piston is mounted within the valve body; 
 a piston seal adapted to fixedly engage to the rigid piston and sealingly engage to the valve body, the piston seal having a by-pass orifice and an annular skirt that is adapted to expand out toward a cap connected to the valve body and form a seal with the cap; 
 a cap having a hollow stem that extends from a central opening in the cap, the cap configured to connect to the valve body at an end opposite the fluid outlet; 
 a fitting having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fitting configured to fixedly connect to the cap; 
 a solenoid adapted to connect to the second end of the fitting, and 
 a retaining ring adapted to fixedly engage to the piston seal, wherein the retaining ring comprises a by-pass orifice and a plurality of channels. 
 
     
     
       2. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a by-pass device having a body with a first end, a second end, and a passageway positioned through the body, wherein the by-pass device is adapted to fit inside the by-pass orifices of the rigid piston, the piston seal, and retaining ring, thereby establishing fluid communication between the fluid inlet and an upper chamber formed between the rigid piston and the cap. 
     
     
       3. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of channels of the retaining ring are smaller in diameter than the passageway positioned through the body of the by-pass device. 
     
     
       4. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein when the upper chamber is relieved of pressure, fluid from the fluid inlet forces the rigid piston to axially move in a direction opposite the fluid outlet, thereby permitting fluid flow through the fluid outlet. 
     
     
       5. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of an infrared sensor and a radio frequency chip. 
     
     
       6. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flow restricting element. 
     
     
       7. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover adapted to close the opening previously occupied by the handle member. 
     
     
       8. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing component that forms a seal between the cap and the valve body. 
     
     
       9. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adapter configured to engage the central opening of the rigid piston. 
     
     
       10. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein a dual sealing engagement is formed between the hollow stem of the cap and the adapter. 
     
     
       11. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid piston further comprises guide members that maintain an alignment of the rigid piston within the valve during operation. 
     
     
       12. The rigid piston assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid piston further comprises a flow ring that gauges the amount of water to be flushed during operation. 
     
     
       13. A flush valve for a plumbing fixture comprising:
 a) a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a fluid source; 
 b) a fluid outlet in fluid communication with a plumbing fixture; 
 c) a cap positioned at an end opposite the fluid outlet, the cap having a hollow stem that extends down from a central opening in the cap; and 
 d) a piston valve for regulating fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the piston valve comprising: 
 a rigid piston having a central opening and a by-pass orifice; 
 a piston seal fixedly engaged to the rigid piston and sealingly engaged to the valve body, the piston seal having a by-pass orifice; 
 a by-pass device having a body with a first end, a second end, and a passageway located within the body, wherein the by-pass device is positioned through the by-pass orifices of the rigid piston and the piston seal, thereby establishing fluid communication between the fluid inlet and an upper chamber formed between the rigid piston and the cap; and 
 a retaining ring attached to the piston seal, wherein the retaining ring comprises a by-pass orifice and a plurality of channels, the by-pass device positioned inside the by-pass orifice of the retaining ring; 
 e) a fitting having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fitting attached to the cap; and 
 f) a solenoid connected to the second end of the fitting. 
 
     
     
       14. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of channels of the retaining ring are smaller in diameter than the passageway positioned through the body of the by-pass device. 
     
     
       15. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , wherein when the upper chamber is relieved of pressure, fluid from the fluid inlet forces the rigid piston to axially move in a direction opposite the fluid outlet, thereby permitting fluid flow through the fluid outlet. 
     
     
       16. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , further comprising a flow restricting element. 
     
     
       17. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , further comprising a sealing component positioned between the cap and the valve body. 
     
     
       18. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , further comprising an adapter attached to the central opening of the rigid piston. 
     
     
       19. The flush valve according to  claim 18 , wherein a dual sealing engagement is formed between the hollow stem of the cap and the adapter. 
     
     
       20. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , wherein the rigid piston further comprises guide members that maintain the alignment of the rigid piston within the valve body during operation. 
     
     
       21. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , wherein the rigid piston further comprises a flow ring that gauges the amount of water to be flushed during operation. 
     
     
       22. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , wherein the piston seal further comprises an annular skirt that is adapted to expand out toward the cap connected to the valve body and form a seal with the cap. 
     
     
       23. The flush valve according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of an infrared sensor and a radio frequency chip.